An Ultimate Frisbee team in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Swinburne, the legend.

Swinburne, the stuff of legends. For those new or newish to the community, the old guard do a great job of selling it and making it sound like a tournament you definitely want to take part in. More than just selling it though – they make the tournament what it is.

Best described as a weekend of Heckle HotTub’s and Fantasy Players in the shadow of the mountain and under the watchful gaze of the nearby lions. Yes you read that part correctly – the lion sanctuary that borders on the guest farm (read: field) means that at almost any point one can look up and see a lion scoping out the fence or meandering up the hill.

As a Swinburne rookie I went in with few expectations and came out with some great memories. The barn for starters – essentially a giant dorm room and a great place to get to know the people sharing the bunks around you. Especially if they can sing lullabies like Marlin from Bloem! The general vibe and togetherness were highlights for me, but the thing that took the cake was playing with people from all over South Africa. Usually at hat tournaments you play with people from your province, not necessarily your team. Swinburne gives you the opportunity to play with people you otherwise only ever play against at big tournaments.

From fighting for space on the braai, to the best braai broodjies from James and Len, Swinburne certainly lived up to its reputation, I will be back.